Christopher Carter was left badly injured after Saffiuallah Safi, 29, failed to make any attempts to slow down or break before crashing. The cyclist ended up behind the car as he rolled over the bonnet which resulted in a fractured kneecap. Emily Lanham (prosecuting) told the Southampton Crown Court that since the accident, Christopher’s leg stiffens when he stays in a car too long, increasing his chances of developing arthritis.

Defending Safi, Nadia Chbat told the court that the incident was “totally out of character” for Safi who has worked as a delivery driver. She added, “He stops almost immediately, pulls the car over and goes straight to the victim on the floor.  He experienced a high level of remorse over his actions. [He is] also very upset that he now has a criminal record.”

Despite this statement, CCTV showed no sign of Safi slowing down or breaking. As a result, Safi pleaded guilty to one charge of dangerous driving. He received a 16-month prison sentence, with a suspension of 2 years and disqualified from driving for 2 years. He must also pay £1000 in compensation and complete 250 hours of unpaid work, according to the Daily Echo.

Peter Henry, who was the judge looking into the case, described Safi’s actions as a “momentary piece of bad driving which created a significant risk,” although he did not exceed the speed limit. Judge Henry said: “You were driving in a narrow built-up area. You did not slow. You went straight across taking a chance that there was nothing coming. You must have missed the fact that this gentleman on his bicycle was riding perfectly sensibly. If you had been paying proper attention you would have seen him.”

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UKExpertMedical’s serious injury team has dealt with many instructions from solicitors in respect of clients who have suffered injuries while riding their bikes. We are able to deal with varying degrees of severity, from bruises and scrapes through to catastrophic injuries. Contact us for more information.